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I wouldn't be so sure. Joystiq's podcast is done via skype with a South African and 2 guys on the east coast. They don't really edit the show, and you hear pretty much everything that could go wrong (people talking over each other, dropped calls, robot voice), and honestly it doesn't matter. Charisma and chemistry can trump those drawbacks, and when you really own the fuckups it can actually be funny.I don't think you guys should be doing something you don't want to do, but I've heard so many great voip based podcasts that I don't believe it can't be done well. It may not be exactly the same, but I'm sure it would be good. The games press is turning over staff faster than McDonalds, it's nice to have a podcast with people that actually know what goes into making a game rather than just regurgitating PR and whatever's bouncing around the GAF echo chamber. Even if you had an episode that had zero laughs, it would still be the best video game podcast I listen to. It's not just the baboos, though bring back Nick Breckon anyways.

2 weeks is oddly in time for the reveal of irrational games new game announcement. Which may be around the time they'd want a new community manager type personality. You guys should seriously consider doing the 'cast via voip, I know quite a few use Skype. Bring Nick Breckon back into the fold.

Red Dead Redemption Time Lapse

Of course there is a 3 worgen moon shirt. It's made by Blizzard: http://www.jinx.com/world_of_warcraft/men/three_worgen_moon.html?catid=93

I wish this guy wasn't leveling both a protection paladin and a protection warrior. He makes every mob look like the biggest grind in the world.

I think he was bringing it up as an example of how they've constructed an environment, and whether you think it's corny or not, you can't argue it's sloppy. It's not just exposition through portraits anymore.

http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2010/07/starcraft-2-is-a-full-game-no-matter-what-the-whiners-claim.ars Ben Kuchera is more eloquent than I am at stating this point of view.

Minecraft got some love from the tf2 team: http://tf2.com/post.php?id=4130&p=1

Yeah, you can't play it on an internet-less LAN, and you can't play cross-region. But what I'm saying is that even if you didn't have an internet connection, this would still be an amazing game. No matter how much fun the multiplayer is, and how important playing with friends cross-Atlantic is for you, it doesn't affect those qualities.You can justify it however you want, you'll still be missing out.

I think it was mostly motivated by different licensing strategies in Asia-Pac, and they took the existing realm models from WoW to segregate europe and North America. It's something they've said they may change in the future. As to the video, the reason why it may seem "generic" for Blizzard standards, is that other than the Kerrigan scenes, the video was mostly made from cinematics that start and trail every mission. Stuff that I'd consider a big step up from typical in-engine cut-scenes, but on top of that there are full CGI videos that are typical Blizzard depth. I find myself doing the Mass Effect laps around the ship to talk to crew members after each mission, they almost always have something new to say. (fixed link: )I'm going to say, this is maybe the best game that's been released in the past couple years. It may be the best video game sequel I've ever played. It's very much in spirit of the first game that it feels natural, but they've added to it in every way possible. Even if you never play against another human being, this game is well worth the full price. If you're holding out because of some battle.net disagreements, you're missing out.

Sorry Ben, already gave away both keys :/ The single player has so much replay value with tech trees, mission branching, moral choices and achievements. Pretty cool.

I have 2 14-day trial keys if anybody is sitting on the fence

Murdoc I think you over-saturated yourself with it, it honestly has nothing on any other running gags this show is known for. I think you just need to ignore it if it bugs you.

I would gladly write an XNA game if someone wanted to do the art assets.

If you have a linksys router chances are you can install tomato firmware it gives you granular bandwidth usage info.

I still have Max Ides in my head as a graphic novel Sin City style. Silhouette of a man standing in a doorway with a gun Business Man in Suit: "M-M-Max Ides! What are you doing here?" Max: "You know" Man: "But it's the 14th!" Half of maxes face is revealed from the shadows smoking a cigarette Max: "It's February" gunshot That and the scene with him in a clocktower taking clients on his cellphone, then killing someone on the first dong.

I don't know, for the longest time I thought you guys were just talking about playing some co-op game. co-op QWOP would be the hardest game in the world.

The other factor is that, controls aside, people on the PC tend to be better. There are exceptions with things like Halo match making, but the console shooter environment has always been about randomly being paired up with morons who only play with other morons. If you go to youtube and search for kill streak video on a console game like MW2, you're bound to find some average dude mowing down people that are basically running into walls looking at their feet. On the PC you may stumble into a server of people with only 2 months of experience with whatever new game you're playing, but 15 years of Counter-Strike and Quake under their belt. The solution is TF2, where class diversity evens out the learning curve, while skilled players are still rewarded.Back to the original question. I guess the first games I played were on PC, but they were a bit too advanced for me to really grasp. I remember playing Test Drive and Hack on my dad's computer, and really old stuff on my Uncle's Mac. I played a bit of Atari, and a lot of NES at friends houses, but I was one of the only kids who didn't get one for Christmas as my parents were recently divorced and I guess dirt poor. It became a bit of a trend for me that I would play console games at friends houses, and PC games at home. I spent probably half the year probably at my cousin's house, and I probably ended up playing those games as much as anybody. But like Chris, we were always able to afford a PC that was going out of style and my dad needed one for running his business. It wasn't till university that I bought a graphics card and later built a gaming PC from the ground up, and the way I've slowly upgraded since has always made it an inexpensive hobby.

I'm with Shawn Elliott on the "comfy couch" fallacy. My computer chair is pretty damn comfortable, and my couch is only more comfortable when I'm lying down. And unless I'm playing something completely uninvolved I tend to sit up while playing console games. Plus, the logistics of playing a game in a common room, dominating the TV, exposing everyone to your questionable tastes and explosive soundtracks make the PC a much more comfortable platform in many other ways. There are certain games I still feel are made for consoles. Social games like SMB Wii and guitar hero or 3rd person games like Tony Hawk that are designed so completely to be played with a controller. But if I'm given a choice, a game is not just a sloppy port, I'm going to play it on my PC.

Yeah there were a lot of bugs in this episode, I played it on a macbook pro and got most of Kingz's list. But what really bugged me was the ending. It was back to repetitive dialogue and exhaustive permutations again. I had a bit of a flashback when I failed to . I'm more convinced that the game would be better off ending with a large interwoven non-linear set of puzzles and a cut-scene then it is with these deliberate set pieces. In a way it'd ensure that players ended on the puzzle they found personally most difficult. I thought there were a lot of great moments in the game though, well written one-offs and were nice. Overall I think I prefer every other episode this season so far, but it was still pretty good.

That video was basically 1/2 StarCraft2 teaser and 1/2 Mass Effect 2 intro.

Maybe, but I've got friends in the UK and it's not like you're typing in some code. I don't see why you can assume the tone in my posts, and criticize me for not being familiar with the fact that Johnny doesn't always say what he means.

I would wait to do the horde play through till after, sure you'll miss the old content as it was, but tbh you wouldn't be having an authentic experience either way as the world has changed dramatically since vanilla. From what I've seen of the new zones, they seem to have mostly just improved those old zones, adding phasing and cut scenes and better quests. Also, there will be at least 3 different leveling tracks to 40 for horde as the zones link better without forcing you to travel all over. To your point on guilds, there are going to be some nice features for guilds in Cataclysm that should partially address that. Certain bonuses that are unlocked by different types of progression, whether they're pvp leveling or raiding focused.

I did cite examples, the dude opened up saying Ron Gilbert hasn't made anything worth while in 20 years. Don't see why I'm getting ganged up on for saying that's bullshit. And I did let it drop, but they keep posting. Maybe it seems like neither of us is letting go of this stupid debate because of a time difference, and the lag has us in some perpetual struggle. But after I specifically said I was done he posted in 2 seperate threads and gerbil responded as well. It's stupid, we're not even debating whether or not Ron has done anything worthwhile recently which is subjective (though Thunder claims it's factual), we're debating whether anybody has said anything negative. And since nobody has gone back and edited their posts, I don't see why that's even a question. You can go back and read it all if you want, but I wouldn't it's boring as hell. I apologize to anyone that's being distracted by this thread hijack, but I'm going to respond when everyone keeps jumping in. I guess I'm all alone on Team Gilbert.

Seriously I was going to let you two slide, but you posted in the MI2 thread and this again. All I'm saying is you two are bitching pretty hard core on Ron Gilbert, and to pretend like you're not hating on him when you go back and read all your posts is ridiculous. You have a strange love hate relationship with these Monkey Island games.